Anthophobia - Fear of Flowers By Lisa Fritscher - Reviewed by a board-certified physician. Updated June 09, 2015 Question: What Is the Fear of Flowers? Answer: Not to be confused with anthropophobia , or the fear of people, anthophobia is the name given to a fear of flowers. Some people are afraid of all flowers, while others fear only one or more specific types of flowers. So what can cause anthophobia? Often, the culprit is a previous negative experience with flowers. For example, you may have seen a scary scene in a film or TV show that involved flowers (perhaps ?) or even having watched a parent being afraid of flowers can be enough to plant the seed for anthophobia to develop later in life. Some people cannot trace their fear to a specific event at all, but in the end, it's not really necessary to discover the cause in order to treat this phobia. Anthophobia and Medical Concerns Plants can cause allergies and skin reactions in sensitive individuals. If you suffer from a medical condition that's triggered by one or more flowers, well... avoiding those flowers is a good way to keep yourself healthy.

By definition, a justified fear is not diagnosable as a phobia, which is considered an irrational fear. Nonetheless, it is possible for those with medical concerns to take their fears too far and even develop a legitimate phobia. If you are sensitive to only one or two flowers yet begin to avoid all flowers, your fear is no longer reasonable and justified. It can be difficult to tell when a healthy avoidance becomes an unhealthy phobia, so professional guidance may be appropriate. Anthophobia and Related Fears For some people, the fear of flowers is actually based in another phobia. Those with the fear of germs might be afraid of contamination from soil. Those who fear bees or other insects may worry that flowers are infested with bugs. People with food phobias might be afraid of flowers that are used in cooking. In these cases, treating the underlying phobia generally eliminates the anthophobia. However, it can be difficult to determine exactly which phobia is involved. Additionally, many people suffer from more than one phobia.

A trained mental health professional can tease out the various issues and develop an individualized treatment plan that addresses all of the concerns - if your life is being heavily impacted by any phobia, get in touch with a mental health specialist today. Source: American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Continue Reading Anthophobia – Symptoms and Causes of Anthophobia – Treatment Share your stories and support others... Anthophobia Tweet Perhaps not as well known as some of the other phobias , Anthophobia is an intense fear of flowers that poses little or no actual danger. While flowers might seem to be a strange thing to fear for non-sufferers, part of being diagnosed with a phobia is that the fear is irrational and persistent. Though sufferers realize that they truthfully are under no threat from flowers, they cannot shake the phobia. Symptoms of Anthophobia Symptoms of Anthophobia tend to follow along the lines of the symptoms of other similar phobias and anxiety disorders .

When in the presence of flowers, or in some cases of simply thinking about flowers, sufferers may experience: Feelings of panic, fear or dread Shortness of breath Inability to speak or think clearly Dry mouth Causes of Anthophobia Like all fears and phobias, flower fear is created by the unconscious mind as a protective mechanism. At some point in your past, there was likely an event linking flowers and emotional trauma . The original catalyst may have been a real life experience, or in other cases, the condition may have been triggered by movies, TV or negative conversation relating to flowers. Anthophobia Treatments Though Anthophobia cannot be treated with medications, it is possible to treat the symptoms while undergoing therapy to cure or lessen the severity of it. Anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax, Lexapro or Zoloft can be handy to control the physical effects of panic attacks, helping the sufferer stop their racing heart or allowing them to feel as if they can breath normally while around flowers. Of course, anti-anxiety medications only treat symptoms. For those looking to control or cure their Anthophobia it is important to look beyond medication and attempt to treat the cause, generally with the help of a therapist.

As no two cases of Anthophobia are alike, no two treatments will be akin to one another. Luckily, with the amount of treatment options available it is possible for the vast majority of cases to be brought under control with the help of a therapist. Behavioral Therapy tends to be a very popular approach when looking to treat Anthophobia. Behavioral therapy attempts to dissipate the patient’s fears by “reprogramming” how they think. Rather than looking at emotional reactions as a separate entity, behavioral therapy sees emotions as connected to thought. When emotions take over they simply have control of these thoughts. By providing positive reinforcement for good thoughts – or, in some cases, negative reinforcement for negative thoughts – behavioral therapy helps patients regain control over their thoughts. Once they are able to train themselves to accept positive thought patterns, it is more likely that they will be able to control their reaction to their phobia. In other cases, some therapists will teach their patients types of relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and meditation. Much like anti-anxiety pills, relaxation techniques help abate the symptoms of Anthophobia. Unlike anti-anxiety pills, however, relaxation techniques can help calm sufferers almost instantaneously, and don’t carry the risk of chemical dependence.

By being able to control their physical reactions many patients feel more able to get in control of their mental ones. With so many treatment options available, it is always possible to find a treatment that can help lessen if not cure phobias. If you or a loved one is suffering from Anthophobia it important to know that help is out there. View Resources Anthophobia - Fear / Phobia of Flowers Anthophobia Anthophobia – Fear / Phobia of Flowers February 11, 2014 by Jason Leave a Comment Anthophobia does not describe the typical nature-hater. Of course, there are those out there that would prefer to be far away from nature and plants. However, some people take this hatred to the extreme. It turns into a morbid fear. Anthophobia is the phobia of flowers. As is previously stated, phobias are a morbid and irrational fear to any one stimulus, in this case, flowers. Now, this phobia could also describe many different types of flowers. However, this is different from the fear of plants in general, which is known as Botanophobia. What are the symptoms of Anthophobia?

While the symptoms of anything; disease, mental illness, etc., affect everyone differently, people who have phobias generally exert the same symptoms. While there are no symptoms caused from a phobia directly, the fear and mental status of the person when the stimulus presents itself cause very specific effects. Anthophobia symptoms present in both physical and mental forms. Overall, Anthophobia’s biggest symptom is an irrational and excessive fear or feeling of dread whenever flowers are present. In severe cases, the presence of flowers may cause an onset of a full blown panic attack. These are what really include both physical and mental symptoms. Physical symptoms include rapid heart beat, tingling or numbness in the extremities, excessive sweating, chills, chest pain, nausea, loss of speech, and difficulty breathing. Mental symptoms, on the other hand, include general fear or anxiety, a sense of impending doom, terror, or feeling as though one has completely lost control of themselves or the situation. Anthophobia sufferers may also feel weak, faint, or dizzy whenever they are around flowers, see flowers, smell flowers, etc. What are the causes of Anthophobia? Anthophobia, or any other type of phobia, is most often caused from past trauma.

A person may have experienced trauma directly because of the flowers themselves. However, flowers may have also been present at the time of trauma, perhaps seeing a horror movie as a child. In this case, a strong, although incorrect, association is made between flowers and fear. Furthermore, many people suffer from pollen and/or flower allergies. These people have physical symptoms that are completely unrelated to fear, but that may be very severe. Of course, anything that is potentially threatening to a person’s health will be viewed as a feared object. Situations like this may lead to a legitimate flower phobia. However, trauma and ill health effects are not the only causes of Anthophobia. Phobias can be caused by any number of mental health problems, physical health problems, traumatic events, etc. How does one treat Anthophobia? Just as is the case with symptoms and causes, treatment will effect everyone differently. No one treatment is perfect for everyone, so it is extremely important to determine the most effective for the unique individual. However, some general treatments are common for phobia sufferers. For instance, various forms of therapy may do the trick. Simply talking with a professional may help dive into the root of the problem.

Hypnosis or other forms of verbal therapy are also helpful. One other form of therapy, known either as shock therapy or exposure therapy, work by putting the person within close proximity to flowers in order to desensitize them and lower their level of fear. For others, such as people with allergies, common medications can help alleviate some of the ill health effects and, therefore, lower the fear level. Medications are also available to help alleviate anxiety and other symptoms of fear or panic attacks. To summarize, Anthophobia is the phobia of flowers. This can be caused by a variety of factors and comes, depending on the individual and level of severity, with many different symptoms. Most importantly, again, many treatments are available, but not all will work for every individual. Fear of Flowers Phobia – Anthophobia You are here: Home / Phobias / Fear of Flowers Phobia – Anthophobia Fear of Flowers Phobia – Anthophobia The extreme, often irrational fear of flowers is called Anthophobia. The word Anthophobia is a combination of two Greek words namely anthos meaning flowers and phobos meaning fear or deep aversion. Often the excessive fear of flowers is confused with the fear of nature.

However, Anthophobia is different in that; the sufferer is mainly only afraid of flowers and not of trees or plants. Majority of Anthophobic individuals however still tend to stay away from nature, especially from flowering plants and trees. But they usually remain morbidly afraid of flowers only. As such, the phobia of flowers is rare and affects only a few people from around the world. Causes of fear of flowers Like most fears, the extreme fear of flowers is a learnt experience. Repeated events related to flowers, such as bees or wasps stinging a child (owing to flowers in the garden) can make the child learn negative things about flowers. This creates negative thinking patterns in the child’s mind. Just like a child will be afraid of touching a hot object after having burnt its hands, the fear of flowers gets permanently etched on the child’s mind. Flowers are often associated with funerals. A child who has lost a family member can suddenly develop an excessive fear of flowers due to such traumatic events. Sometimes, the mere presence of flowers while watching a horror movie could lead to a permanent fear of flowers.

Some cases of Anthophobia are inexplicable; a person develops the fear suddenly and forgets the root cause of why it arose in the first place. The irresistible fear then becomes a part of the individual’s personality and, like a reflex action, one simply cannot control it. People with severe seasonal allergies could also develop Anthophobia due to the extreme symptoms they cause in him/her. Other mental disorders/anxieties, physical illnesses and deficiencies can also cause the fear of flowers phobia. Symptoms of Anthophobia Anthophobia can cause various symptoms including A full blown panic attack at the sight or thought of flowers. This includes racing heart, sweaty palms, rapid/accelerated breathing, shivering, shaking, etc. These symptoms might arise at the thought, and not just the sight of flowers. A fear of impending doom, thoughts of death or dying or feeling completely powerless over a situation are some other emotional symptoms associated with Anthophobia. Friends and family members are often unsympathetic towards the individual and this could give rise to feelings of isolation or depression in him/her. Sometimes, the phobic might avoid outings, picnics, visits to gardens, or even funerals and weddings/ parties where flowers are usually present.

This could cause him/her to be ridiculed or laughed at. Overcoming the fear of flowers Since different people are affected differently by the fear of flowers phobia, the treatment options also vary. If the fear of flowers is affecting one’s day to day life, one must certainly seek help of an experienced psychotherapist. Today, many treatment options are available including cognitive behavior therapy and gradual exposure or systematic desensitization therapies. The latter includes putting the phobic in close proximity of flowers to help him/her control the anxiety and desensitize one once and for all. Some cases can be helped simply by talking to a therapist or through group therapy sessions where other phobics express their fears and the ways in which they are coping with them. If seasonal allergies are causing one’s phobia, one can get prescription strength medications to alleviate those symptoms. Anxiety reducing drugs are also available to reduce the panic attacks experienced due to one’s Anthophobia. These should be used sparingly. Here are the Top 10 Books for Overcoming Phobias Hypnotherapy is another option which can help one get to the bottom of the Anthophobia and overcome it once and for all. What do you fear?

Share your phobias with visitors on this site, read their stories and connect with them. The Phobia List Amaxophobia- Fear of riding in a car. Ambulophobia- Fear of walking. Amychophobia- Fear of scratches or being scratched. Anablephobia- Fear of looking up. Ancraophobia- Fear of wind. (Anemophobia) Androphobia- Fear of men. Anemophobia- Fear of air drafts or wind.(Ancraophobia) Anginophobia- Fear of angina, choking or narrowness. Anglophobia- Fear of England or English culture, etc. Angrophobia - Fear of anger or of becoming angry. Ankylophobia- Fear of immobility of a joint. Anthrophobia or Anthophobia- Fear of flowers. Anthropophobia- Fear of people or society. Antlophobia- Fear of floods. Anuptaphobia- Fear of staying single. Apeirophobia- Fear of infinity. Aphenphosmphobia- Fear of being touched. (Haphephobia) Apiphobia- Fear of bees. Apotemnophobia- Fear of persons with amputations.

Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia- Fear of spiders. Arithmophobia- Fear of numbers. Cainophobia or Cainotophobia- Fear of newness, novelty. Caligynephobia- Fear of beautiful women. Cancerophobia or Carcinophobia- Fear of cancer. Cardiophobia- Fear of the heart. Carnophobia- Fear of meat. Catagelophobia- Fear of being ridiculed. Catapedaphobia- Fear of jumping from high and low places. Cathisophobia- Fear of sitting. Cenophobia or Centophobia- Fear of new things or ideas. Ceraunophobia or Keraunophobia- Fear of thunder and lightning.(Astraphobia, Astrapophobia) Chaetophobia- Fear of hair. Cheimaphobia or Cheimatophobia- Fear of cold.(Frigophobia, Psychophobia) Chemophobia- Fear of chemicals or working with chemicals. Cherophobia- Fear of gaiety. Chiraptophobia- Fear of being touched. Chirophobia- Fear of hands. Cholerophobia- Fear of anger or the fear of cholera.

Chorophobia- Fear of dancing. Chrometophobia or Chrematophobia- Fear of money. Chromophobia or Chromatophobia- Fear of colors. Chronophobia- Fear of time. Cibophobia- Fear of food.(Sitophobia, Sitiophobia) Claustrophobia- Fear of confined spaces. Cleithrophobia or Cleisiophobia- Fear of being locked in an enclosed place. Cleptophobia- Fear of stealing. Climacophobia- Fear of stairs, climbing, or of falling downstairs. Clinophobia- Fear of going to bed. Clithrophobia or Cleithrophobia- Fear of being enclosed. Cnidophobia- Fear of stings. Decidophobia- Fear of making decisions. Defecaloesiophobia- Fear of painful bowels movements. Deipnophobia- Fear of dining or dinner conversations. Dementophobia- Fear of insanity. Demonophobia or Daemonophobia- Fear of demons. Demophobia- Fear of crowds. (Agoraphobia) Dendrophobia- Fear of trees. Dermatophobia- Fear of skin lesions. Dermatosiophobia or Dermatophobia or Dermatopathophobia- Fear of skin disease.

Dextrophobia- Fear of objects at the right side of the body. Diabetophobia- Fear of diabetes. Didaskaleinophobia- Fear of going to school. Dikephobia- Fear of justice. Dinophobia- Fear of dizziness or whirlpools. Diplophobia- Fear of double vision. Dipsophobia- Fear of drinking. Dishabiliophobia- Fear of undressing in front of someone. Disposophobia- Fear of throwing stuff out. Hoarding. Domatophobia- Fear of houses or being in a house.(Eicophobia, Oikophobia) Doraphobia- Fear of fur or skins of animals. Doxophobia- Fear of expressing opinions or of receiving praise. Dromophobia- Fear of crossing streets. Dutchphobia- Fear of the Dutch. Dysmorphophobia- Fear of deformity. Hagiophobia- Fear of saints or holy things. Hamartophobia- Fear of sinning. Haphephobia or Haptephobia- Fear of being touched. Harpaxophobia- Fear of being robbed. Hedonophobia- Fear of feeling pleasure. Heliophobia- Fear of the sun.

Hellenologophobia- Fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology. Helminthophobia- Fear of being infested with worms. Hemophobia or Hemaphobia or Hematophobia- Fear of blood. Heresyphobia or Hereiophobia- Fear of challenges to official doctrine or of radical deviation. Herpetophobia- Fear of reptiles or creepy, crawly things. Heterophobia- Fear of the opposite sex. (Sexophobia) Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia- Fear of the number 666. Hierophobia- Fear of priests or sacred things. Hippophobia- Fear of horses. Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words. Hobophobia- Fear of bums or beggars. Hodophobia- Fear of road travel. Hormephobia- Fear of shock. Homophobia- Fear of sameness, monotony or of homosexuality or of becoming homosexual. Hoplophobia- Fear of firearms. Hydrargyophobia- Fear of mercurial medicines. Hydrophobia- Fear of water or of rabies. Hydrophobophobia- Fear of rabies. Hyelophobia or Hyalophobia- Fear of glass.

Hygrophobia- Fear of liquids, dampness, or moisture. Hylephobia- Fear of materialism or the fear of epilepsy. Hylophobia- Fear of forests. Hypengyophobia or Hypegiaphobia- Fear of responsibility. Hypnophobia- Fear of sleep or of being hypnotized. Hypsiphobia- Fear of height. Iatrophobia- Fear of going to the doctor or of doctors. Ichthyophobia- Fear of fish. Illyngophobia- Fear of vertigo or feeling dizzy when looking down. Iophobia- Fear of poison. Isolophobia- Fear of solitude, being alone. Isopterophobia- Fear of termites, insects that eat wood. Ithyphallophobia- Fear of seeing, thinking about or having an erect penis. Metrophobia- Fear or hatred of poetry. Microbiophobia- Fear of microbes. (Bacillophobia) Microphobia- Fear of small things. Misophobia or Mysophobia- Fear of being contaminated with dirt or germs. Mnemophobia- Fear of memories. Molysmophobia or Molysomophobia- Fear of dirt or contamination. Monophobia- Fear of solitude or being alone.

Monopathophobia- Fear of definite disease. Motorphobia- Fear of automobiles. Musophobia or Muriphobia- Fear of mice. Mycophobia- Fear or aversion to mushrooms. Mycrophobia- Fear of small things. Myctophobia- Fear of darkness. Mythophobia- Fear of myths or stories or false statements. Myxophobia- Fear of slime. (Blennophobia) Nebulaphobia- Fear of fog. (Homichlophobia) Necrophobia- Fear of death or dead things. Nelophobia- Fear of glass. Neopharmaphobia- Fear of new drugs. Neophobia- Fear of anything new. Nephophobia- Fear of clouds. Noctiphobia- Fear of the night. Nomatophobia- Fear of names. Nosophobia or Nosemaphobia- Fear of becoming ill. Nostophobia- Fear of returning home. Novercaphobia- Fear of your step-mother. Nucleomituphobia- Fear of nuclear weapons. Nudophobia- Fear of nudity. Nyctohylophobia- Fear of dark wooded areas or of forests at night Nyctophobia- Fear of the dark or of night.

If you appreciate the Phobia List, please help support it. Obesophobia- Fear of gaining weight.(Pocrescophobia) Ochlophobia- Fear of crowds or mobs. Ochophobia- Fear of vehicles. Octophobia - Fear of the figure 8. Odontophobia- Fear of teeth or dental surgery. Odynophobia or Odynephobia- Fear of pain. (Algophobia) Oenophobia- Fear of wines. Oikophobia- Fear of home surroundings, house.(Domatophobia, Eicophobia) Olfactophobia- Fear of smells. Ombrophobia- Fear of rain or of being rained on. Ommetaphobia or Ommatophobia- Fear of eyes. Omphalophobia- Fear of belly buttons. Oneirophobia- Fear of dreams. Oneirogmophobia- Fear of wet dreams. Onomatophobia- Fear of hearing a certain word or of names. Ophidiophobia- Fear of snakes. (Snakephobia) Ophthalmophobia- Fear of being stared at. Opiophobia- Fear medical doctors experience of prescribing needed pain medications for patients. Optophobia- Fear of opening one's eyes. Ornithophobia- Fear of birds.

Osmophobia or Osphresiophobia- Fear of smells or odors. Ostraconophobia- Fear of shellfish. Peladophobia- Fear of bald people. Pellagrophobia- Fear of pellagra. Pentheraphobia- Fear of mother-in-law. (Novercaphobia) Phagophobia- Fear of swallowing or of eating or of being eaten. Phalacrophobia- Fear of becoming bald. Phallophobia- Fear of a penis, esp erect. Pharmacophobia- Fear of taking medicine. Phasmophobia- Fear of ghosts. Phengophobia- Fear of daylight or sunshine. Philemaphobia or Philematophobia- Fear of kissing. Philophobia- Fear of falling in love or being in love. Philosophobia- Fear of philosophy. Photoaugliaphobia- Fear of glaring lights. Photophobia- Fear of light. Phonophobia- Fear of noises or voices or one's own voice; of telephones. Phronemophobia- Fear of thinking. Phthiriophobia- Fear of lice. (Pediculophobia) Phthisiophobia- Fear of tuberculosis. Sarmassophobia- Fear of love play.

(Malaxophobia) Satanophobia- Fear of Satan. Scatophobia- Fear of fecal matter. Scelerophibia- Fear of bad men, burglars. Sciophobia Sciaphobia- Fear of shadows. Scoleciphobia- Fear of worms. Scopophobia or Scoptophobia- Fear of being seen or stared at. Scotomaphobia- Fear of blindness in visual field. Scotophobia- Fear of darkness. (Achluophobia) Scriptophobia- Fear of writing in public. Selachophobia- Fear of sharks. Selaphobia- Fear of light flashes. Selenophobia- Fear of the moon. Seplophobia- Fear of decaying matter. Sesquipedalophobia- Fear of long words. Sexophobia- Fear of the opposite sex. (Heterophobia) Siderodromophobia- Fear of trains, railroads or train travel. Siderophobia- Fear of stars. Sinistrophobia- Fear of things to the left or left-handed. Sinophobia- Fear of Chinese, Chinese culture. Sitophobia or Sitiophobia- Fear of food or eating. (Cibophobia) Snakephobia- Fear of snakes.

(Ophidiophobia) Soceraphobia- Fear of parents-in-law. Social Phobia- Fear of being evaluated negatively in social situations. Sociophobia- Fear of society or people in general. Somniphobia- Fear of sleep. Soteriophobia - Fear of dependence on others. Spacephobia- Fear of outer space. Spectrophobia- Fear of specters or ghosts. Spermatophobia or Spermophobia- Fear of germs. Spheksophobia- Fear of wasps. Stasibasiphobia or Stasiphobia- Fear of standing or walking. (Ambulophobia) Staurophobia- Fear of crosses or the crucifix. Stenophobia- Fear of narrow things or places. Stygiophobia or Stigiophobia- Fear of hell. Suriphobia- Fear of mice. Taeniophobia or Teniophobia- Fear of tapeworms. Taphephobia Taphophobia- Fear of being buried alive or of cemeteries. Tapinophobia- Fear of being contagious. Taurophobia- Fear of bulls. Teleophobia- 1) Fear of definite plans. 2) Religious ceremony. Telephonophobia- Fear of telephones.

Teratophobia- Fear of bearing a deformed child or fear of monsters or deformed people. Testophobia- Fear of taking tests. Tetanophobia- Fear of lockjaw, tetanus. Teutophobia- Fear of German or German things. Textophobia- Fear of certain fabrics. Thaasophobia- Fear of sitting. Thalassophobia- Fear of the sea. Thanatophobia or Thantophobia- Fear of death or dying. Theatrophobia- Fear of theatres. Theophobia- Fear of gods or religion. Thermophobia- Fear of heat. Tocophobia- Fear of pregnancy or childbirth. Tomophobia- Fear of surgical operations. Tonitrophobia- Fear of thunder. Topophobia- Fear of certain places or situations, such as stage fright. Toxiphobia or Toxophobia or Toxicophobia- Fear of poison or of being accidently poisoned. Traumatophobia- Fear of injury. Info about the Most Common Phobias by Jason Leave a Comment What is Caligynephobia? Caligynephobia, otherwise known as Venustraphobia or simply Gynephobia, is the abnormal fear of beautiful women.

Sure, many men can become intimidated by gorgeous girls, and men are not the only ones who suffer from this phobia, but this condition takes intimidation to the extreme. Phobias are often described as an extreme and/or irrational fear to any one stimulus. Again, there is a major difference between the intimidation that many people feel around beautiful women and a legitimate phobia. The phobia of beautiful women is extreme, and can often lead to other problems, which will be detailed further on. [Read more…] about Caligynephobia – Fear / Phobia of Beautiful Women by Jason Leave a Comment Anthophobia does not describe the typical nature-hater. Of course, there are those out there that would prefer to be far away from nature and plants. However, some people take this hatred to the extreme. It turns into a morbid fear. Anthophobia is the phobia of flowers. As is previously stated, phobias are a morbid and irrational fear to any one stimulus, in this case, flowers. Now, this phobia could also describe many different types of flowers. However, this is different from the fear of plants in general, which is known as Botanophobia.

[Read more…] about Anthophobia – Fear / Phobia of Flowers by Jason Leave a Comment Agliophobia is probably one of the trickiest phobias to “diagnose” because of the fear, specifically. Agliophobia is the fear of pain. Clearly, no one really enjoys pain and many people do their best to avoid it. However, some people do reach a certain point where this fear grows too much. There is a fine line between a simple fear and a phobia. Phobias, unlike simple fears, and more-so an extension of a simple fear, are morbid and irrational. Furthermore, they can often consume people’s well-beings. People become completely obsessed with phobias, and do everything in their power to avoid the specific stimulus, pain in this case. [Read more…] about Agliophobia – Fear / Phobia of Pain stumbleupon Email Comment Phobias may be a debilitating thing.

Imagine not being able to climb up anything because you are scared of heights and you have acrophobia, or not being able to ride an elevator because you are scared of being closed in and you have claustrophobia, or shrieking and even fainting at the first sign of a spider and you have arachnophobia. Still, these phobias are actually easy to imagine and understand. Some phobias, on the other hand, are just plain weird and crazy that they boggle the mind of the non-sufferers. Here is a list of the top 10 weirdest phobias in the world. 10. Telephonophobia – Fear of Making or Taking Phone Calls Having dead air during a phone conversation is pretty normal. This is when an awkward silence occurs, as you simply have nothing to say. Some people are so scared of this scenario that they have developed telephonophobia. These people simply do not pick up the phone by getting others to answer a call or using an answering machine exclusively. As a result, necessary information may not get clarified properly. 9. Nomophobia – Fear of Not Having Mobile Phone Access Related, but probably opposite, to number 10 is nomophobia.

This may be a common fear, if you really think about it. Nonetheless, it is still weird. This phobia involves the mobile phone, and it is the fear of losing it, not having enough battery charge, not having network coverage or running out of credits. People just feel naked without their mobile phones. 8. Phobophobia – Fear of Having a Phobia Ok, let us try to get this straight. Phobia means having a fear, while phobophobia is the fear of having a fear. This is obviously psychological more than anything else as there are no environmental stimuli that would set off this fear. It is like the sufferer does not want to get scared but in so doing, he has worked himself up that he is now scared that he might get scared. You will probably develop stress just thinking about how to explain this phobia. 7. Anthophobia – Fear of Flowers Sufferers know that flowers actually do not pose any threat at all, but for some reason, they have developed an anxiety at the mere sight of even one. Guys probably hope this that fear is contagious and would afflict their girlfriend. It sure will help them save a lot of money that can be better spent on other things. 6.

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia – Fear of the Number 666 Most people probably are not even aware of this phobia. But aside from the number 13, the number 666 is also a number that is associated with bad luck and negativity. And it is not just the simple kind of bad luck because the number is actually associated with the devil. The number’s infamy has its roots in the Bible when the book of Revelation associated the number with the devil. It is supposed to be the number of the beast who would become the anti Christ. Of course, Hollywood perpetuated the fear through movies like “The Omen.” You should actually be more scared that you need to spell this unruly word just to describe the fear. 5. Heliophobia – Fear of Sunlight Just like the Cullens in those “Twilight” movies, there are people who are afraid of the sunlight. Maybe those warnings about skin cancer have gotten into them or maybe they are just creatures of the dark who prefer to do things in the night. Perhaps, they just find it easier to function in the evening when everything is more peaceful and quiet.

Sufferers however have this irrational fear of the sunlight so much so that they would place thick curtains or even stay in the basement to keep the house as dark as possible. 4. Chorophobia – Fear of Dancing Just like nomophobia, chorophobia can actually be very common. Guys especially hate being forced to dance where everyone can see how uncoordinated they could be. Still, reluctance to dance brought about by shyness is different from an actual fear of dancing. Some would feel anxiety and even nausea just at the thought of having to dance. 3. Ablutophobia – Fear of Bathing This is different from hydrophobia, which is the fear of water. Ablutophobia involves the fear of bathing because the person does not want to be cleaned. Just like other phobias, there is a catalyst from a past event in one’s life that triggers this fear. Sufferers experience breathlessness, dizziness, excessive sweating, palpitations, shaking, nausea and dry mouth whenever the subject of bathing comes up. 2. Spectrophobia – Fear of Mirrors or One’s Own Reflection Imagine being scared of standing in front of a mirror or looking at your own reflection.

It means avoiding all kinds of reflecting things, like shiny cars, puddle of water, swimming pools, sunglasses of other people, and even the monitor of your computer or laptop. This fear is related to one’s inability to accept imperfections in the face or body, like moles or birthmarks. These marks may have been the results of some unfortunate events in the past that one just wishes to forget. 1. Genophobia – Fear of Sexual Relations It is hard to imagine anyone not wanting to have sex. It is probably at the top of the human experience, the one event that can trigger images of heaven and paradise. Nothing beats sex. Still, as weird as it may seem, there are people who are actually afraid of intimacy and sexual relations, much more sexual intercourse. This fear is no laughing matter because genophobia is rooted to a trauma that was inflicted upon the victim in the past. This traumatic event has led the sufferer to associate sex with negative emotions. Victims of molestation are some of the people who may suffer from this phobia. They are ashamed of their problem and fear, which leads to loneliness. They need to redevelop their trust and faith in other people to overcome this phobia.

7 Shares Flower Fear on - The Flower Expert - Flowers Encyclopedia Flower Fear Did you know? Elizabeth I of England suffered from anthophobia, the flower fear, roses in particular. Fear of flowers or flower fear is defined as an abnormal and persistent fear of flowers. People suffering from flower fear experience undue anxiety even though they realize they face no threat from flowers. There is no specific flower which causes this fear, any genus or species of flowers can instill fear. So can any flower part, such as a petal or stem. Fear of flowers is termed "Anthophobia," a word derived from the Greek words- "anthos", meaning flower and "phobos", meaning fear. Flower fear is also known as Anthrophobia. Anthophobia is an intense fear of flowers that poses little or no actual danger. While adults with anthophobia realize that these fears are irrational, they often find that facing, or even thinking about facing, the feared situation brings on a panic attack or severe anxiety.

Symptoms of Flower Fear Typical symptoms of flower fear include breathlessness, dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly, a fear of dying, becoming mad or losing control, a sensation of detachment from reality or a full blown anxiety attack, although different people experience flower fear in their own way and may have different symptoms as such. What is the cause of Flower Fear? Like all fears and phobias, flower fear is created by the unconscious mind as a protective mechanism. At some point in your past, there was likely an event linking flowers and emotional trauma. Whilst the original catalyst may have been a real-life scare of some kind, the condition can also be triggered by myriad, benign events like movies, TV, or perhaps seeing someone else experiencing trauma may also lead to flower fear. But so long as the negative association is powerful enough, the unconscious mind thinks: "Ahh, this whole thing is very dangerous. How do I keep myself from getting in this kind of situation again? I know, I'll attach terrible feelings to flowers, that way I'll steer clear in future and so be safe." This is how flower fear is generated.

Attaching emotions to situations is one of the primary ways that humans learn. Sometimes we just get the wiring wrong. The actual flower fear manifests itself in different ways. Some sufferers experience it almost all the time, others just in response to direct stimuli. from our stores - Pickupflowers - the flower expert Subscribe Get 10% off on pickupflowers.com explore Words based on the root ‘Phobia’-1 | Wordpandit Select Page Words based on the root ‘Phobia’-1 Jenny works as a Travel nurse. She travels a lot because of the shortage of nurses in both regional and national locations. She enjoys the flexible work assignments in her regional area. However, she goes to great lengths to avoid the work assignments in other national locations where she needs to fly down to the area and work. What do you think is the reason behind Jenny’s irrational behavior? Does she love her place too much or it just the fear of flying to other place? Now, the word is called Aviophobia. Almost everyone has an irrational fear or two. But, when fears become so severe that they interfere with your normal life they are called phobias.

If you have a phobia, you probably realize that your fear is unreasonable, yet you still can’t control your feelings. Just thinking about the feared object or situation may make you anxious. And when you’re actually exposed to the thing you fear, the terror is automatic and overwhelming. Basically, Phobia comes from Greek word “phobos” meaning fear, horror. And all the words formed using this root would reflect this same very fear. Let’s learn about some very strange and funny phobias people have. 1. Anthropophobia: Fear of people or the company of people, a form of social phobia . We all have one of those friends, who likes to keep distance from people, finds opportunities to run away from them. Don’t we? Anthropos is a root word for mankind or humankind. 2. Emetophobia: Fear or anxiety pertaining to vomiting. This specific phobia can also include subcategories of what causes the anxiety, including a fear of vomiting in public, a fear of seeing vomit, a fear of watching the action of vomiting or fear of being nauseated. 3. Claustrophobia: Fear of closed spaces. Root word here is Latin claustrum which means ‘a shut in place’.

Jack hates being in a crowded elevator, a room without windows, or sitting in an airplane and even while wearing tight-necked clothing. He is definitely claustrophobic. 4. Ergophobia: Fear of work. It comes from Greek word ergos means work. Working nine-to-five Monday through Friday can be a real drag. Having a job can cause stress and anxiety in almost everyone’s life, but what if that stress and anxiety were so bad that you could barely even go to work? People who suffer from Ergophobia have a persistent fear of work, finding work or functioning and experience undue anxiety about the workplace environment, even though they realize their fear is irrational. 5. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: Fear of long words. Hippopotamus+ Monster + sesquipedalian (means one and a have foot long).This word is intended to exaggerate the length of the word itself and the idea of the size of the words being feared. 6. Autophobia: Fear of being alone or isolated. Giacomo Casanova must be Auto phobic, how else do you describe a womanizer? 7. Ophthalmophobia: Fear of being stared at.

It is usually seen in people who are low in confidence or are very conscious of how they look. 8. Paedophobia: Fear of children; fear of dolls or fear of infants, childhood. It is more of allergy than fear. If you see someone saying “Get that little pink thing away from me”, you know what phobia they have. 9. Anthophobia: Fear of flowers. Now, who does not like flowers for Christ’s sake? Strange. Really strange that such a fear exists. 10. Herpetophobia: Fear of reptiles. If you have herpetophobia, you might become afraid whenever you are in proximity to a reptile or even amphibian. Post Contributed by Rabia Sehgal The complete series:

Question: Anthophobia is the irrational fear of what?
Answer: Flowers